President Lunga has a ruling mandate until 2019 – PF SG

Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davies Chama says President Edgar Lunga has a ruling mandate of up 2019 according to the party’s constitution.

He said President Lungu was elected through a general conference held by the party in 2014 which gave him the authority to run the party until 2019.

ZANIS reports that the PF Secretary General explained that according to the Republican constitution the country will go for a general election next year in 2016 where President Lungu will stand on the PF ticket as his mandate is still valid untill 2019.

Speaking when he visited Katete Patriotic Front members at the Council Chamber today, Mr Chama stated that anyone with presidential ambitions of standing on the Patriotic Front ticket in 2016 should wait until President Lungus’ team in office comes to an end in 2019.

Mr. Chama emphasized that those aspiring to stand as presidents of the Patriotic Front should wait untill 2019 when the party goes for a general conference to elect new leadership.

The Secretary General further urged all members of the party to campaign vigorously and grow numbers.

He challenged the party in the district to recruit members with national registration cards as an assurance of numbers of eligible voters of the party.

He explained that other parties where doing well in elections because they had been recruiting members who are registered voters.

Mr. Chama stated that the party was happy about its performance in Katete district adding for the first time the PF had managed to dominate the once strong hold of the opposition Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD).

He however appealed to the party members and leaders to use the current developmental projects that the ruling party had embarked on as encouragement to campaign more.

In response to the challenges expressed by Katete PF Chairperson Duma Joseph Makukula, Mr Chama challenged them to first grow in numbers for them to be strengthened with materials and finances.

He encouraged all members of the party to embrace each other despite their past shortcomings.

Meanwhile, Katete District PF Chairperson Duma Joseph Makukula pleaded with the party Secretary General to give the district a motor vehicle for smooth and swift mobilisation of members.

Mr Makukula said the PF in the district has a great challenge of finances and transport which are vital to the growth of the party.

He stated that the general public in the district was happy with the development the district has seen in the short period President Lungu has been in office.

He however expressed concerns over the delayed completion of some projects in some areas.

Mr. Makukula has since appealed to the government to quickly finish the projects in the district as the party risks being de-campaigned if the projects are not completed by 2016.